Terrorism in America - 3

Does the fact that we are being attacked by Muslim Fundamentalist Terrorists mean that we should fear all Muslims? Should I give up the physician who has saved my life, or the family that runs the dry cleaners I patronize, or teacher that helps my grandchild to read. Obviously not!

Again we must turn to a familiar experience of our recent past. Many of us grew up in neighborhoods where organized crime was a dominant force. Depending on the neighborhood they might be an Italian gang (Catholics); an Irish gang (usually Catholic, but often Protestant, too); or a Jewish gang. Today we have Latino gangs and Black gangs. All of these share two characteristics: First of all they are terrorists and second they are criminal. The jihadists are a Muslim gang who try to cloth their terrorism in religious doctrine. The simple truth is that they are criminals.

We know how to deal with criminals. We stop romanticizing their behavior. These people are not Robin Hood and his merry band. We work closely with law enforcement. We report criminal, terrorist behavior when we see it. We don't excuse criminal, terrorist behavior as a result of discrimination or other civil unfairness. Those are real problems and we need to address them, but they do not justify criminal behavior or terrorist acts.

Above all, we accept our obligation to be Americans, and to act like Americans. Our ancestors came here because they wanted freedom. If anyone comes here today and does not want and support that freedom, he or she is free to leave and go elsewhere. Shape up or ship out!